Top 7 Statistics For Direct Mail in 2017

With the business world about to enter into the last quarter of the year, it is a good time to take stock of direct mail’s effectiveness in 2017 so far. Although the volume of direct mail went down last year, direct mail garnered a larger percentage of all mail. With technology and other tools to improve the timing of direct mail, this year’s statistics have shown that direct mail is not only still relevant in the marketing world, but that it is, in fact, one of the most successful channels available to marketers. Here are the top seven statistics for this year so far.

Household Response Rates Are at 5.1%

Yes, that decimal is in the right spot. According to compu-mail, direct mail has earned the highest response rate, with email and paid search at .6%, social media at .4%, and online display at .2%. Part of the reason why response rates are so high with direct mail is an increase in tools and information through technology that has enabled well-timed and personalized direct mail marketing campaigns.

77% of People Sort Through Their Mail

Many marketers are finding it difficult to get prospects to open emails. I personally usually delete without even looking any extraneous emails and promotions. It has just become routine, which is unfortunate for marketers, for I can only imagine how many other people are like me. Average open rates are typically below 20% in comparison to mail. I for one always sort through my mail, and when I see something that stands out, I usually take a few seconds to see what it is, which bodes well for direct mail.

Every $167 Spent On Direct Mail Resulted in $2,095 Of Sold Goods

I believe that ROI speaks for itself, but one must ask what industries reaped the most benefit from direct mail. The largest users of direct mail include companies that offer financial services and also consumer packaged goods. With print still playing such a large role in marketing, coupled with cost-effective green methods of print, one can only imagine that direct mail will still be a major component of marketing campaigns going forward.

98% of Consumers Bring Their Mail In The Day It’s Delivered

Many are concerned that after putting all of the effort to create a personalized direct mail piece that it will just end up in the trash with the rest of the junk mail. If it does, it is probably not due to a diminishing trend in the public’s responsiveness to direct mail, but rather the direct mail piece itself missing the mark. As the above statistics provided by the U.S. Postal Service exemplifies, whatever you send out will get eyes on it. Whatever happens after will, for the most part, be within your power to control.

Customer Response Rates Increased Year-Over-Year by 48%

Companies who have never thought of using direct mail would be smart to start considering using it as one of their marketing channels. Not only did customer response rates increased, but prospective response rates more than doubled with a reported 190% increase. As noted by the DMA, this is in part due to the “pairing of mailings with digital intelligence. “

Adding A Person’s Name and Color Can Boost Response Rates By 135%

We have discussed the importance of personalization time and time again, and if for some reason you didn’t believe it before, then perhaps this statistic can lend some credence to this idea. Personalization, particularly with the introduction of variable data printing, is now within reach of most budgets. And in turn, can improve your ROI, and make the money you spend go a greater distance.

Print Is 43% Less Annoying than the Internet

Bottomline, we all hate spam. I for one get irritated when advertising videos start on websites yet it is nearly impossible for me to find it to shut it off. Many of us have become blind and aggressively against online advertising in many ways. That is why direct mail is refreshing to most since it is usually personalized, relevant, and recognized as something that took a lot of effort on the part of the company sending it. This makes the consumer feel important and valued, which at the end of the day, is just good marketing.

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